The Bengal chapter of the All India Imam and Muezzin Organisation, headquartered in Murshidabad, on Tuesday issued a notice to all members, asking them to exhort community members to get vaccinated and adhere to Covid-19 protocol in their Eid al-Adha speeches on Wednesday.

The association said the occasion of Eid should be used to motivate community members to get vaccinated and wear masks in view of the probable third wave of the pandemic.

“There has been a stereotype going around that many in our community are against vaccination, which needs to be corrected. The exhortation of imams will help in achieving this. We want to change this on such an auspicious day,” said one member.

The organisation has over 6,700 members in Bengal alone.

The Tuesday circular also ruled that no children would be permitted into Wednesday’s prayer meet in view of the pandemic.

Sources said the imams would on Wednesday also address the issues of vaccination and Covid-appropriate behaviour.

“Our community is over 50 lakh strong in the state. We need to take the scientific step forward,” said district president Abdul Razzaq.